Professional Documents
Culture Documents
e-ISSN: 2278-1684,p-ISSN: 2320-334X, Volume 11, Issue 6 Ver. V (Nov- Dec. 2014), PP 17-21
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Abstract: Comfort travel is order of the day for any automotives in spite of the road conditions. Suspension
system holds whole and sole responsibility of providing comfort to the occupants. Intensity of the disturbance
originated from road varies with its condition ranging from minimum in case of normal road (Moderately
rough) to maximum in case of pot hole or speed breaker. Accordingly stiffness of the suspension system needs to
vary which is not so with todays configuration. To provide solution to this problem a hybrid design has been
evolved which will have provision for change over option between two springs with different stiffness values. To
start with all the subsystems of the proposed design are identified and sizing of each is evolved through design.
Further design adequacy has been assessed through Finite Element Analysis.
Keywords: Suspension system, Hybrid system, Stiffness, Cyclic motion, Automobile, Shock loads.
I.
Introduction
During its course of application any automobile vehicle experiences low intensity cyclic motion
(Vibration) while passing over normal road and the same experiences high intensity cyclic motion (Shock) while
passing over pot hole or speed breaker. Vehicle will be equipped with suspension system so as to provide
comfort for the passengers against these two adverse conditions as shown in Figure 1.
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II.
Design Philosophy
Vehicle mounted on suspension system can be idealized as single Degree Of Freedom (DOF) system
[6] as shown in Figure 2.
For X Y
2
n
which means that frequency of spring should be less than that of 0.707 times the frequency of
excitation, so as to have comfort when vehicle passes over normal road.
When the same vehicle passes over pot hole or speed breaker it experiences shock and for this case
relation between motion ratio (i.e. X/Y) and frequency ratio [7] is shown in Figure 4.
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III.
Design Configuration
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IV.
Value
35 mm
1000 mm
2 N-m
0.5 HP
4.45 mm
13.4 mm
10 Hz
4.45 mm
13.4 mm
8 Hz
84.5 N
T
100 mm
25 mm
6407
Structural Analysis
Structural analysis of hybrid suspension system is carried out using Finite Element Method (FEM) in
ANSYS software. The objective of the structural analysis is to assess the design adequacy against the functional
load.
Structural analysis is carried out against the weight of mounted system and obtained maximum Von
Misses stress. Maximum stress thus obtained is compared with allowable stress and obtained the available factor
of safety.
Criteria
Static analysis
Minimum available factor of safety should be more than the desired factor of safety (1.5).
Modal analysis
First natural frequency should be above the frequency associated with spring i.e. 10 Hz.
To begin with geometric model of the intended design is built in 3D CAD software from its
dimensions. However load bearing members are only considered for analysis. Then geometric model is
converted into FE model by discretizing with elements. Springs and lead screw are discretized with linear beam
(BEAM4) elements and nut is discretized with solid (SOLID45) elements. As springs are made of shape
memory alloy and all other subsystems are made of steel, accordingly material properties are considered for the
analysis. FE model is constrained at two extreme corners where supports are provided on the lead screw.
FE model with boundary conditions is shown in figure 6.
Figure 6. FE model
Static analysis was carried out and then dynamic (Modal) analysis was also carried out. Modal analysis
is the study of the dynamic properties of structures under vibration excitation. In structural engineering, modal
analysis uses a structure's overall mass and stiffness to find the various periods that it will naturally resonate at.
A modal analysis calculates the undamped natural modes of a system. These modes are given in decreasing
order of period and are numbered starting from 1. Von Misses stress plot and mode shape plot corresponding to
first natural frequency are shown in Figure 7.
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V.
Result
Maximu
m
Value
Static
1.
Von
Misses
stress
Modal
2.
First
natural
frequency
Allowable
value
Factor of
safety
>10 Hz
3.3
--
VI.
Conclusion
A hybrid design of suspension system has been brought out which will facilitate to have a change over
between low and high values of stiffness as and when situation demands. Further damper in conventional design
is dispensed with by choosing shape memory alloy for spring as it possesses very good damping characteristics.
Design adequacy of the configuration is assessed with the aid of FE analysis which conveyed a message that the
design is safe.
Acknowledgment
The authors sincerely acknowledge the valuable support extended by Dr. Devarayapalli Kamakshaiah
Charyulu, Professor & Head of the Science and Humanities Department, Bhaskar Engineering College,
Hyderabad, India. The authors thank Dr. Niraj Upadhaya, Principal, J B Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Hyderabad, India for the support.
References
[1].
[2].
[3].
[4].
[5].
[6].
[7].
van Berkum, Chassis and suspension design FSRTE02, Masters Thesis, Eindhoven, March 2006.
P.C.M. van den Bos,, Design of a Formula Student Race Car Spring-Damper System, Master traineeshipEindhoven, March, 2010.
Badih A. Jawad and Brian D. Polega, Design of Formula SAE Suspension Components, Proceedings of the 2002 SAE
Motorsports Engineering Conference and Exhibition (P-382), December 2-5, 2002.
Cesar, Minibaja vehicle front suspension design Technical report, 2011.
David E. Woods, Numerical Design of Racecar Suspension Parameters, SAE Government/Industry Meeting, April 26 -28, 1999.
W.T. Thomson, Theory of vibration with applications.
Dave S. Steinberg, Vibration analysis of electronic equipment.
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